Water Management and Plastic Waste Discussed at Zero Waste Forum

A “Zero Waste Water” panel was held as part of the Zero Waste Forum 2026 at Atatürk Airport. Experts highlighted the importance of water conservation, reducing plastic bottle use, and circular water management solutions.

Scraper SystemJune 07, 2026, 01:27 AM

Water Management and Plastic Waste Discussed at Zero Waste Forum

[Photo: AA] Within the coordination of the Zero Waste Foundation, the "Zero Waste Water" panel was held at the Zero Waste Forum 2026 at Atatürk Airport. Ulf Stenerhag, Founder and Chairman of Wayout, drew attention to the fact that billions of people worldwide meet their daily water needs through plastic bottles.

Stenerhag stated that approximately 1.5 billion plastic bottles are produced daily, but only 9% of these bottles are recycled, while the rest end up polluting the environment. He emphasized that microplastics have now been detected even in the most remote regions of the world and noted that plastic waste is also a significant source of increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Stenerhag highlighted that with the systems they have developed, they purify water obtained from seas, lakes, rivers, and other sources on-site to make it drinkable. This approach aims to reduce plastic bottle use and transportation costs by enabling water to be consumed where it is produced.

Emphasizing that systems based on local production and reuse offer environmental and economic advantages, Stenerhag added that solutions reducing dependence on plastic bottles will gain greater importance in the future of the water sector. Water Engineer and Member of the World Youth Parliament for Water, Megi Marku, also stated that the water sector plays a critical role in combating climate change.

Marku pointed out that the true value of water is often not fully appreciated and stressed the need to protect water resources, reduce losses in distribution networks, and develop circular water management practices.

Noting that the water sector has an aging workforce, Marku emphasized the importance of involving young professionals more in decision-making processes, considering their opinions, and increasing role models to inspire youth in the sector.

Emilio de la Jara, Founder and CEO of Capta Hydro, stated that systematic solutions developed at the basin scale can reduce risks of drought and flooding, expressing their goal to create a "zero waste water future."

Throughout the forum, panels were also held on topics including Accommodation and Surplus Product Sharing: Food Security, Donation and Responsibility; Research on Waste; From Factory to Circular Clustering: Industrial Needs for Scaling; Composting and Anaerobic Digestion; Traceability Reducing Waste: From Products to Collection Process; DRS: Returnable Deposits; Ending Open Burning: Overlooked Urban Health and Climate Crisis; Organic Waste, Insects and Reuse Practices: Infrastructure and Scaling Requirements; and Financing the Zero Waste Ecosystem: From Grants to Venture Capital.

Additionally, thematic talks by experts covered subjects such as Implementing the Zero Waste Vision: Case Studies, Successes and Lessons Learned; Circular Economy in the Era of Plastic Surplus and Resource Scarcity; and From Global Agendas to Local Outcomes: Implementing Zero Waste as Climate Action.

Water Management and Plastic Waste Discussed at Zero Waste Forum